Reconstruction:Proto-Semitic/lā

This Proto-Semitic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Semitic

Etymology

Cognate with Egyptian nj (“not”).

Adverb

*lā

1. not

Interjection

*lā

1. no

Descendants

• East Semitic:
  • Akkadian: 𒆷𒀀 (la-a /⁠lā⁠/)
• West Semitic:
  • Central Semitic:
    • Arabic: لَا (lā)
      • Gulf Arabic: لَأْ (laʔ, “no”), لا (la, “don't (used before imperatives)”)
      • South Levantine Arabic: لأ (laʔ), لا (la, “don't (with imperative or subjunctive)”)
      • Maltese: la, le
      • → Swahili: la
    • Northwest Semitic:
      • Aramaic: לָא (lā)
        • Mandaic: ࡋࡀ (lā)
        • Classical Syriac: ܠܳܐ (lā)
      • Canaanite:
        • Hebrew: לֹא (lo, lōʾ)
        • Phoenician: 𐤋𐤀 (lʾ /⁠lū⁠/)
      • Ugaritic: 𐎍 (l /⁠lā-⁠/)
  • Modern South Arabian:
    • Mehri: لَأ (laʾ)
    • Harsusi: [script needed] (laʔ)

References

• Huehnergard, John (2019) “Proto-Semitic”, in Huehnergard, John and Na'ama Pat-El, editors, The Semitic Languages, 2nd edition, Routledge, →ISBN, page 68